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Vogue Daily – Old Master, New Artist: Jason Alper and His Brilliant Use of Logos

April 2010

If you’ve seen any of Sacha Baron Cohen’s films or televsion work, you know that Ali G wouldn’t be Ali G without his athletic gear, Borat not the same without his ill-fitting suit, and Brüno half the crazy reporter he is if not for his skintight, fashion victim–y getups. The hilarious, ingenious costumes complete the characters. But you wouldn’t exactly think whoever designs them is interested in real fashion (shhh, don’t tell Brüno). Not so. For some time now, Jason Alper,who’s been a costume designer for 20 years—half of them with Cohen—has been creating pieces that cleverly but reverently mixes luxury brands and fine art. “It leans toward satire, irony, and just fun,” says Alper, who was nominated this year for a Costume Designers Guild Award (“People work incredibly hard on massive costume dramas. And I came along and put someone in a yellow tracksuit,” he acknowledges. “I imagine I’m kind of the Antichrist of the industry”).